convert dvd video to form I can edit

[King Ghidora]

My neighbor has some video that he shot and then burned straight to a DVD for storage. He isn't real up on video editing. I know it's hard to edit any compressed video but I remember doing it a few years ago to some extent. I just need to cut some dead areas out of his DVD and create a new one without all the unwanted stuff. I've tried a few of the freeware converters but nothing I try to do allows me to import the video into Vegas 11. I think I used a form of Virtual Dub to edit mp2 video last time. I have managed to convert the DVD to that format. My problem is I don't remember what version of VirtualDub I used and I don't know if it would work with 16:9 video if I found the one I used before. Any help would be appreciated.

Well I just found the version I used before and it tells me it can't edit with the codecs Windows 7 uses to show .mp2 video. It has to have a different codec and I'd really prefer not to jump in head first and start installing codecs because I've seen them have problems with conflicts in the past. So the version I was using is out unless I find the codec it wants and can use it safely.

[Baldrick]

Have you tried use vob2mpg and import the mpg in vegas?

Virtualdubmpeg2 can import vobs. Or latest virtualdub with the mpeg2-plugin.

[King Ghidora]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll certainly give those a try. I'll get the latest the version of VirtualDubmpeg2 and try that first. I'm familiar with the program. I'll try the converter also.

[usually_quiet]

My neighbor has some video that he shot and then burned straight to a DVD for storage. He isn't real up on video editing. I know it's hard to edit any compressed video but I remember doing it a few years ago to some extent. I just need to cut some dead areas out of his DVD and create a new one without all the unwanted stuff. I've tried a few of the freeware converters but nothing I try to do allows me to import the video into Vegas 11. I think I used a form of Virtual Dub to edit mp2 video last time. I have managed to convert the DVD to that format. My problem is I don't remember what version of VirtualDub I used and I don't know if it would work with 16:9 video if I found the one I used before. Any help would be appreciated.

Well I just found the version I used before and it tells me it can't edit with the codecs Windows 7 uses to show .mp2 video. It has to have a different codec and I'd really prefer not to jump in head first and start installing codecs because I've seen them have problems with conflicts in the past. So the version I was using is out unless I find the codec it wants and can use it safely.

DVD video should not be all that hard to convert and edit. I do it almost daily, and used only free tools initiially. If there is a standard DVD video disc file and folder structure on this DVD (VIDEO_TS folder with .VOB, .IFO and .BUP files), then using VOB2MPG (as Baldrick suggested) in IFO mode should be able to convert the VOB files into .mpg files. If Vegas 11 can't import .mpg files, something is wrong with the codecs on your system beyond anything related to having Windows 7.

If there are some other kinds of files on this DVD, what extension do they use?

[King Ghidora]

The problem with Vegas not importing the mpg2 files was more to do with the program I used to convert to that format actually. I used the old VirtualDub and converted the files to avi for easier editing with Vegas. I know it's an extra conversion but this doesn't have to be broadcast quality. I have it going now just fine and I appreciate the help.